Australia's Golden Outback

Australia's Golden Outback covers an enormous part of the state and includes wheatbelt towns dedicated to farming and the goldfields towns famous for the production of gold. Many heritage buildings can be found throughout the region and of course that famous outback hospitality is evident everywhere.

Coolgardie is known as the Mother of the Goldfields and was first explored by H M Lefroy in 1863. The town really took off in 1892 when gold was discovered 120 miles away at Fly Flat. Coolgardie was at the centre of the gold rush of the late 1890's which saw the establishment of much of Western Australia's wealth.

Cue is known as the "Queen of the Murchison" because of its importance in the gold production of the area. The town has many heritage buildings and is a great place to explore.

Esperance is one of the most beautiful parts of the state overlooking the bright blue waters of the Southern Ocean and the islands of the Recherche Archipelago. The first Europeans to find this place were the Dutch in 1627 and later in the late 1790's by the French as reflected in the many French place names. The town grew very quickly in the 1890's with the discovery of gold in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie and became the port through which the thousands of gold prospectors flooded on their way to fame and fortune.

Esperance’s Tanker Jetty, completed in 1935 and signifying a period of prosperity for the port and town, was built primarily for the purpose of shipping grain from the Mallee region.

Since its inception, the jetty has been a popular fishing spot for locals and visitors alike, and the curved shape of the jetty is an iconic landmark for the community.

The Gascoyne Murchison Outback Pathways book and CD are a brilliant way to explore the outback of WA. Divided into three experiences: the Miners Pathway, Wool Wagon Pathway and Kingsford Smith Mail Run you can create a real adventure for yourself and find out the story of the settling of the outback.

Golden Pipeline is a 560km pipeline built in the 1890's by C Y O'Connor to bring fresh water from Perth to Kalgoorlie in the the goldfields. This revolutionary piece of engineering allowed Western Australia to benefit from the rich gold deposits in and around Kalgoorlie, upon which much of WA's prosperity is based. The pipeline drive trail travels from Mundaring Weir in the Perth Hills to Mount Charlotte Reservoir in Kalgoorlie and passes through many fascinating towns and sites that give visitors the chance to experience the history, hospitality and amazing landscape of country Western Australia.

Golden Quest Discovery Trail takes visitors on a journey of discovery through the goldfields of Western Australia. The trail provides interesting insights into the history of this remote and beautiful part of the state and guides you through many fascinating ghost towns and vibrant tourism sites.

Gwalia is a historic ghost town in the goldfields offering an authentic look at life in a gold town. Many of the original buildings have been preserved including the historic Hoover House built in 1898 for Herbert Hoover then Mine Manager for Sons of Gwalia and later 31st President of the United States of America.

Kalgoorlie is the major centre for the goldfields and home of the largest open cut gold mine in the southern hemisphere. Kalgoorlie has a fascinating history as a frontier town and many interesting and engaging activities for visitors to undertake.

Leonora Loop Trails have been developed by the Shire to help you discover the secrets of the area. There are two trails that take about a day each. Combined the trails cover over 430km most of which is on a gravel roads - a true outback adventure.

Menzies is approximately 730km from Perth and in addition to a number of interesting heritage attractions the shire is home to Lake Ballard and the acclaimed international British artist Anthony Gormley's haunting sculptures. Definitely worth making the trip to see.

Merriden is one of the historic towns in the Wheatbelt, the Cummins Theatre, Pioneer Park and the many military sites and museums make it well worth a visit.

Mount Magnet is a fine outback town with many great station stay experiences. Get a taste of the outback and explore a real mining town.

The Wheatbelt is the name given to the towns to the East of Perth where much of the State faming takes place. Famous for Sheep and wheat the massive scale of the farms in this region is amazing. There are many beautiful heritage buildings in the towns throughout the region and the people area always ready with a warm welcome. During spring this is one of the best places to visit to experience WA's spectacular displays of wild flowers.